He didn't need a manifesto. He didn't need a tragic backstory about a lost puppy or a misunderstood childhood to make you hate him—or fear him. When General RAAM stepped onto that train platform at the end of the original Gears of War back in 2006, the air in the room just sorta changed. You felt it. That low, guttural growl and the fluttering sound of the Kryll—those flesh-eating bats that acted as his personal shield—became the soundtrack to one of the most frustratingly difficult boss fights in Xbox history.
RAAM wasn't just another boss. He was a wall. A massive, silent, terrifyingly efficient wall of muscle and bad intentions.
Honestly, if you played the original game on Insane difficulty, you probably still have a bit of PTSD from that final encounter. The way he walked? Methodical. Slow. He knew he was the baddest thing in the room, so he never felt the need to run. That’s what made General RAAM the definitive face of the Locust Horde, even after sequels tried to introduce more "complex" villains like Queen Myrrah or Skorge.
The RAAM Shadow: More Than Just a Big Guy with a Gun
Most people think RAAM was just a high-ranking soldier who got lucky, but the lore tucked away in the Gears of War: RAAM’s Shadow DLC and the comic books tells a much different story. He wasn't just born into leadership. He took it. RAAM climbed the ranks of the Locust hierarchy through sheer brutality and a tactical mind that most humans in the COG (Coalition of Ordered Governments) completely underestimated.
He was a Zealot first. Unlike other Locust who might have just been following orders, RAAM was a true believer in the cause of the Hollow. He saw the surface world as something to be harvested, not shared.
There’s this misconception that the Locust were just mindless monsters. RAAM disproves that. He was a master of psychological warfare. Think about the "Emergence Day" tactics. He didn't just lead the charge; he orchestrated the systematic collapse of human civilization in a matter of hours. He understood that fear is a weapon just as effective as a Troika heavy machine gun.
One of the coolest things about him—if you can call a genocidal monster "cool"—is his relationship with the Kryll. Most Locust feared the dark because that's where the Kryll lived, and the Kryll ate everything. RAAM? He controlled them. He wore them like a cloak. It’s a level of dominance over the environment that we haven't really seen from a villain since.
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Why the Boss Fight on the Tyro Pillar Still Matters
Let's talk about that train. The Tyro Pillar.
If you ask any long-time Gears fan about the hardest moments in the franchise, the RAAM fight is always top three. It’s a masterclass in "simple but punishing" design. You’ve got the darkness, which is instant death. You’ve got the light patches, where you’re safe from the Kryll but exposed to RAAM’s hand-held Troika. It forces you to play the game exactly how the developers intended: using cover, timing your reloads perfectly, and praying your co-op partner doesn't do something stupid.
The difficulty curve here was legendary. On Insane mode, RAAM is basically a god. One stray bullet from his gun and Marcus Fenix is red mist.
But it wasn’t just about the challenge. It was the atmosphere. The rain, the clanking of the train tracks, and that silhouette. Seeing RAAM emerge from the darkness, surrounded by a swirling vortex of black wings, is an image burned into the collective memory of an entire generation of gamers. It’s why he was the first "guest" character brought into Killer Instinct. People just couldn't get enough of his presence.
The Evolution of the General
After the first game, Epic Games and later The Coalition realized they had a lightning-in-a-bottle situation. You don't just kill off a guy like RAAM and move on.
- RAAM’s Shadow (Gears 3 DLC): This was a brilliant move. It let us play as him. For the first time, we weren't the ones hiding in the light; we were the ones bringing the darkness. Smashing through COG soldiers as RAAM felt empowering in a way that regular gameplay didn't. You realized just how much of a tank he really was.
- The Comics: If you haven't read Gears of War: The Rise of RAAM, you’re missing out on the best parts of his character. It details his rivalry with Sraak and how he basically forced Queen Myrrah to see his vision for the war. He was a political player as much as a warrior.
- Gears 5 and Beyond: Even in the newer games, RAAM’s legacy is everywhere. The designs of the Swarm, the way the newer generals carry themselves—it’s all a callback to the standard RAAM set.
What Most People Get Wrong About His Death
A lot of fans felt his death was a bit "abrupt." You shoot him a bunch, he falls, the train blows up. Done. But if you look at the context of the series, RAAM’s death was the beginning of the end for the Locust. He was the glue holding the military strategy together. Once he was gone, the Horde became fractured.
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Skorge, who took over in Gears of War 2, was fast and flashy with his dual-chainsaw staff, but he lacked the heavy, brooding authority that RAAM had. RAAM was the heart of the Locust military. Without him, they were just a leaderless mob waiting for a Queen who was too disconnected from the front lines.
It’s also worth noting that RAAM represents a specific era of gaming. The mid-2000s were obsessed with "grimdark" aesthetics, and RAAM was the king of that mountain. He didn't have quips. He didn't have a "we're not so different, you and I" speech for Marcus. He just wanted you dead because you were in his way. There’s something refreshing about that kind of pure, unadulterated villainy.
The Strategy: How to Actually Beat Him (Even in 2026)
If you're revisiting the Ultimate Edition or playing through the original on backwards compatibility, don't go in guns blazing. You'll die. Fast.
First, you need the Longshot or the Torque Bow. The Torque Bow is actually better because it clears the Kryll off him for a few seconds, opening up a window for headshots. If you’re playing solo, your AI teammate (Dom) is basically a meat shield. Use him. While RAAM is busy shredding Dom, you need to be landing active reload headshots.
It’s a rhythm game disguised as a shooter. Shoot the bow. Wait for the Kryll to disperse. Switch to sniper. Pop the head. Repeat. If he gets too close, you’re done. The man walks like a turtle, but he hits like a freight train.
Honestly, the best way to experience this fight is still local split-screen co-op. There’s a specific kind of magic in screaming at your friend to "GET IN THE LIGHT" while RAAM slowly advances on your position.
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The Lasting Impact of General RAAM
RAAM is the reason Gears of War became a household name. Master Chief had the Covenant, but Marcus Fenix had RAAM. You need that personal foil—that one specific face you want to punch—to make a franchise stick. He gave the Locust a personality that wasn't just "scary monster under the bed."
He was a general. A leader. A monster with a plan.
Even now, decades after his debut, his design holds up. The heavy armor, the scorched skin, the glowing eyes—it’s iconic. He remains the gold standard for what a boss fight should feel like: intimidating, mechanically unique, and immensely satisfying to overcome.
If you're looking to dive deeper into the lore or just want to relive the glory days of the Xbox 360, start with the Rise of RAAM comic series. It contextulizes his silence and makes his eventual defeat feel even more significant. After that, go back and run the Tyro Pillar on Insane. See if you've still got the nerves for it.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Replay RAAM’s Shadow: It’s available via the Gears of War 3 DLC and offers the best perspective on his tactical brilliance.
- Read the IDW Comics: Specifically The Rise of RAAM (2018) to understand the internal Locust politics that put him in power.
- Master the Torque Bow: In the original game, the Torque Bow is the "key" to his boss fight—learn the arc to ensure you can peel back his Kryll shield every single time.